GB2098149A

GB2098149A - Vehicle immobilising device

Info

Publication number: GB2098149A
Application number: GB8114099A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: LISTER JOHN STEPHEN
Current assignee: LISTER JOHN STEPHEN
Priority date: 1981-05-08
Filing date: 1981-05-08
Publication date: 1982-11-17

Abstract

A pedal blocking member is in the form of a U-shaped strip 10 having two arms 11 and 12, in which are respective holes 14 and 15, and a curved portion 13. To immobilise a vehicle the member is positioned around pedal stems 18, 19 and 20 with the arms 11 and 12 at each side of the stems and with the curved portion 13 abutting the pedal stem 20. A padlock 21 locks the device in place so inhibiting independent movement of the pedals. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Vehicle immobilising device The present invention relates to a vehicle immobilising device.

A large number of vehicles are stolen each year.

Usually a thief needs only to break a door lock and short circuit the usual ignition switch, to be in a position to steal a vehicle. Steering locks are often employed on modern vehicles as an extra deterrent against theft. However, such vehicles are still stolen.

A major problem therefore, in stopping theft, is the provision of means enabling effective vehicle im mobilisator to be achieved quickly and conveniently.

An object of the invention is to provide a device which is relatively inexpensive and which can be quickly and conveniently installed on a motorvehiclue to enable itto be immobilised in a manner preventing the vehicle from being driven away.

Pursuant hereto, the present invention provides a vehicle immobilising device comprising a pedal blocking member having two arms which define a space in which two or more vehicle pedal stems can be located and inhibited from independent movement by the arms, the device being capable of being locked, by locking means, in its operative position with the pedal stems extending through the space between the two arms.

Preferably the blocking member is substantially U-shaped strip of a substantially rigid material such as steel.

The device may, for instance, be provided in a size capable of being positioned and locked around three pedal stems, as are provided usually on a vehicle of the manual gearbox type, or in a size capable of being positioned and locked around two pedal stems as are provided usually on a vehicle having automatic transmission.

The pedal blocking member may be of a configuration and dimensions such that it can be positioned and locked around pedal stems which project down from a vehicle's bulkhead.

Alternatively, the pedal blocking member may be of a configuration and dimensions such that it can be positioned and locked around pedal stems which project upwards through a vehicle's floor or bulkhead, in which case the device may serve as a spacer, between the pedals and the floor or bulkhead, to prevent depression of the pedals.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a first embodiment of the vehicle immobilising device of the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating the embodiment of Figure 1 positioned and locked around three pedal stems in a motor vehicle; and Figure 3 is a part-sectional diagrammatic side view illustrating a second embodiment of the vehicle immobilising device of the invention positioned and locked around pedal stems which project through a vehicle's floor.

Throughout the following description, similar reference numerals have been allocated to like parts.

The first embodiment of the vehicle immobilising device of the invention as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing comprises a pedal blocking member in the form of a strip 10 of substantially U-shaped configuration. The strip 10 has two equal and substantially parallel arms 11 and 12 each joined at one end to a curved portion 13 and defining between them a space 14. The curved portion 13 is substantially semi-circular in configuration and lies mid-way from free ends 15 of the strip 10. Near each free end, 15 of the strip 10 there is a respective hole 16, 17.

The device is formed, for example, by firstly cutting e.g. by sawing, from a continuous metal strip length, a strip of a suitable length which is the combined lengths of the arms 11 and 12 plus the length of strip needed to form the curve portion 13.

The holes 16 and 17 may then be drilled although they may be drilled at a later stage. That part of the strip 10which is to form the curved portion 13 is heated until it becomes ductile, that is to say to about yellow heat. The strip 10 is then bent about an appropriately-shaped former to form the curved portion 13 and bring the arms 11 and 12 into substantially parallel disposition as shown. The hot strip 10 is then rapidly cooled by quenching, which returns the metal to a hard and rigid state.

The mode of installation will be readily understood from the foregoing description. Figure 2 which shows the device installed in position around three pedal stems 18, 19 and 20, of pedals 21,22 and 23 respectively. To immobilise a vehicle, of which the pedals 30, 31 and 32 form part, the device is positioned about the pedal stems 18, 19 and 20 so that the arms 11 and 12 extend respectively at each side of the stems 18, 19 and 20 and the stems 18, 19 and 20 lie within and project through the space 14 between the arms 11 and 12. In this position, which is its operative position, the device inhibits independent movement of the pedals 21,22 and 23, and effectively immobilises the vehicle. The device is locked in place by performing the simple operation of passing shackle 24 of padlock 25 through the holes 16 and 17 and locking the padlock 25.

The two steps of positioning the device and then locking it in place can be quickly and conveniently attended to and because it is so simple that device can be manufactured very inexpensively.

The second embodiment of the vehicle immobilising device of the invention illustrated in Figure 3 is shown in its operative position located and locked around pedal stems 26, of pedals 27 (of which only one is visible in the drawing), which project through a bulkhead 28. In this embodiment, the strip 10 is broader than that of the first embodiment, and the device locates around the pedal stems 26 between the bulkhead 28 and pedal heads 29 to inhibit movement of the pedal heads 26 towards the bulkhead 28 by effectively forming a rigid spacer therebetween.

The mode of installation of the second embodiment proceeds in the same way as that of the first embodiment already described.

The invention is not confined to the precise details of the foregoing examples and variations may be made thereto. For instance, the holes 16 and 17 need not be nearthefree ends 14and 15 of the strip 10.

They can be disposed at any practical location along the strip 10 provided that when the strip 10 is in its operative position, and the shackle 23 of the padlock 21 is located through the holes 16 and 17, the device cannot be moved so as to allow independent movement of any of the pedal stems.

If desired, the curved portion 13, of the strip 10 may be replaced by or incorporate a hinge to facilitate installation of the device.

In the described embodiments, the locking means of the device comprises the padlock 21. However, it will readily be understood that the device may be constructed with a lock incorporated into or integral with one of the arms 11, 12 and operable to engage with the other of the arms to lock the device in its operative position.

The invention has only been described so far with respect to vehicles in which the pedal stems are in parallel alignment. Of course, the arms 11, of the strip 10 may be cranked in manufacture so that the device can be positioned and locked in place about non-alignment pedal stems.

In some vehicles the pedal stems are of a different shape, usually the accelerator's stem is narrower than the others. The device of the invention may, of course, be twisted and shaped during manufacture to suit it for installation about pedal stems of differing shape.

In each embodiment described only one pair of holes are present. However, it will be readily understood that the device may be constructed with one of more pairs of holes. The provision of a number of pairs of holes will allow the device to be installed on vehicles which differ in inter pedal stem distance.

Claims

1. A vehicle immobilising device comprising a pedal blocking member having two arms which define a space in which two or more vehicle pedal stems can be located and inhibited from independent movement by the arms, the device being capable of being locked, by locking means, in an operative position with the pedal stems extending through the space between the two arms.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the pedal blocking member is a substantially U-shaped strip of rigid material.

3. A device as claimed in claims 1 or 2 which is of a size capable of being positioned and locked around three pedal stems in a vehicle.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3 in which the pedal blocking member is of configuration and dimensions such that it can be positioned and locked around pedal stems which project down from a vehicle's bulkhead.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3 in which the pedal blocking member is of configuration and dimensions such that it can be positioned and locked around pedal stems which project upwards through a vehicle's floor or bulkhead.

6. A vehicle immobilising device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, or in Figure 3, of the accompanying drawing.